South Africa’s growing youth skills and unemployment divide can be bridged by employability and SME incubator initiatives, but we need more corporate and government programmes that provide school leavers with a platform to learn, make mistakes and grow. South Africa can improve its youth unemployment crisis by creating awareness of available employability training opportunities and educating SMEs on their crucial role in empowering youth while growing the economy, Shawn Theunissen, founder of Property Point, says. Some initiatives, particularly the collaborative partnerships between government and business are promising, such as the Youth Employment Service (YES) and National Business Initiative (NBI). These programmes equip young people with in-demand skills, soft skills and job readiness training, as well as mentorship and job placement to promote the growth and progression of our economy, he says. The Citizen, 12 August 2023.
